Ercassiel.

A/N Ercassiel (pronounced Air-kahs-see-ell). This is my first LOTR fanfic. R&R! Sadly I don't own any of the characters, oh I wish I did but I can only take credit for Ercassiel...

As she walked through the dark woods; Ercassiel felt a wave of pain flood through her, it stopped he dead in her tracks. She hastily looked around for the source of the dread and discomfort.

The dark hum of the woods was coming from the same darkness of the ring. As sauron got stronger, the woods got darker and colder.

She strode through the forest looking for the source of her unease. But it was not as she suspected; she found herself almost face to face with four hobbits, two men, one wizard, a dwarf and an elf.

Her brow furrowed in confusion, what could they possibly want?

She gently took out her finely carved maple bow and fired a warning shot just beyond one of their heads; it drove through the tree, cutting the bark and showing the pale skin from inside it.

They turned their heads to the sound, immediately drew their weapons and tried to pin point the source of the attack.

But one man, the darker haired man whom seemed to respond to the name Aragorn slowly lowered his hands as a sign for them to lower their weapons.

"We mean you no harm," The man said calmly as he slowly stepped forward to the trees, looking around through the murky growth of the trees.

Ercassiel was crouching in with her bow at the ready.

"We only ask to pass these woods in order to get to the other side," Aragorn added smoothly, a slight edge to his voice.

"I cannot allow you to do so,"

Ercassiel had not encountered people for a long time; in fact so long ago she cannot remember the last time she had even talked to one.

She felt her heart beat rise as the dark haired man stood on the stump of the tree giving her no way to escape without him noticing.

And yet those people are not Orcs and yet there is a darkness floating around them, but they do not seem to cower in fear, but yet…

Ercassiel focused, turning her head to the left. She realised it was radiating from one small, little hobbit cowering behind a different man which Ercassiel has heard of; he was called Boromir, the son of the Steward of Gondor.

She looked at the hobbit, he had stunning bright blue eyes and dark fair hair, but the rage and darkness was not directly coming from his little body.

She realised it was the necklace winding round his neck that was making her uneasy.

There was a ring on the necklace, a thick golden ring, which almost glowed when the sun shined on its side. That was the source of darkness. Then it hit her;

The dark lords ring... Like a whisper among the trees she knew what it was, her eyes widened with fear and she recoiled slightly.

She could only hope that they were trying to destroy it and not attempt to harness its power. Like so many she had heard about, they would fall into its clutches, losing all rational thoughts and slowly lose their mind as so many other kings and creatures have done.

Ercassiel could not bear to look at it any longer. It was already whispering dark thoughts to her, she would not falter. That is not what she wants- she wants to be able to go back to home, to Eregion and not stay in this miserable forest any longer, but she cannot. She just can't.

When she was younger, she ran away in a fit of shame and guilt when her home was destroyed by Orcs. Only a few of her people were left alive. The survivors fled to Lindon, Lothlórien, and to the refuge of Imladris in Rivendell after the Orcs slashed and decapitated anyone in their way. They burned homes with children and babies inside them when their mothers were trying to comfort them.

She was only a little elleth at the time and couldn't understand what was going on; she should have stood and fought as her father had done so, but she was a coward and hid until she could no longer hear her mother's screams anymore.

From that day, she promised herself she would never go back; that she would stand still in the dark forest as guilt and shame over took her and forced her to die alone.

But so far her heart was still beating and now a little light shines on her when maybe, just maybe she can repay her people a little by destroying the one ring which destroyed them.

So she picked up the courage and asked the strange man:

"I will allow you to pass on one condition- if you tell me what you are going to do with the ring around the young hobbits neck." Aragorn shared a look of unease with Frodo.

Ercassiel slowly stepped down from the tree to stand infront of Aragorn.

She gracefully stepped out from the canopy of the tree that hid her from the eyes of the fellowship, they found out that that this was no man that they were talking to but a young woman wearing a dark blue tunic and black breeches.

She had golden hair with dark highlights that flowed down her back like a wave crashing upon the shore and had light blue eyes that shined like the morning sun; they held wisdom, but also danger and guilt, so much guilt.

Her ivory skin had a sun kissed complexion and she had pointed ears that her golden hair covered partly.

She also had a dark, old scar going down her right arm towards her fisted hand. Her toned body and strong shoulders showed she knew how to defend herself and her sword attached her belt also showed that she could fight.

She waited patiently in front of Aragorn awaiting his reply.

After a moment hesitation, he answered.

"We are on a quest to go to mount doom and destroy the ring where it was created." He paused and put his hand on his heart.

"I am Aragorn; the four hobbits are Sam, Pippin, Merry and Frodo."

The hobbits nodded towards Ercassiel, She raised one eyebrow.

He nodded his head towards the red-haired dwarf. "This is Gimli."

"Hello lass." He said kindly.

"This is-"Aragorn said before he was interrupted. "Boromir, son of Denethor." Boromir said with slight distaste towards Ercassiel.

Finally the last one answered. "I am Prince Legolas of Mirkwood,"

The blond elf named Legolas spoke to Ercassiel, She spared Legolas a glance and then drew her attention back to Aragorn who was standing a breath away from her, and she opened her mouth and said;

"My name is Ercassiel, and Pardon me for being blunt, but, you are in my woods..."

A/N Going to leave it there, Hope you enjoyed it. R&R. Marmiexx